Journal of neurosurgery
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Journal of neurosurgery · Jul 2013
Review Meta AnalysisDissociation of vasospasm-related morbidity and outcomes in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage treated with clazosentan: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Clazosentan therapy after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) has been found to be effective in reducing the incidence of vasospasm in randomized controlled trials. However, while vasospasm-related morbidity, including delayed ischemic neurological deficits (DINDs) and delayed cerebral infarctions, was consistently decreased, statistical significance was not demonstrated and outcomes were not affected by clazosentan treatment. The objective of this meta-analysis was to determine whether clazosentan treatment after aneurysmal SAH significantly reduced the incidence of DINDs and delayed cerebral infarctions and improved outcomes. ⋯ The results of the present meta-analysis show that treatment with clazosentan after aneurysmal SAH significantly reduced the incidence of the vasospasm-related DINDs and delayed cerebral infarctions, but did not improve poor neurological outcomes in patients with aneurysmal SAH. Further study is required to elucidate the dissociation between vasospasm-related morbidity and outcomes.